Which motor level function includes hip flexors, adductors, knee extensors, ankle plantarflexors, toe extension, and toe flexion?

• A. L3
• B. L4
• C. L5
• D. S1-S2

Answer: (C)

Understanding motor levels means looking at which spinal level can produce the listed movements. Each myotome maps to specific muscle actions, and the most caudal level that can still contribute to a broad set of these movements helps define the motor level.

The listed movements span hip flexion and adduction, knee extension, ankle plantarflexion, toe extension, and toe flexion. The toe movements point to the L5 region (toe extension and other foot-related actions are strongly associated with L5), while the hip and knee movements involve progressively more proximal levels but are present by L5 as well. Among the options, L5 best accounts for the combination of toe movements with proximal leg movements, making it the most representative single motor level for this cluster of functions.